To protect my master
by Ginger with Hat
Summary: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE BONUS CHAPTER "MEETING FONDUE" Since his father walked out on him, Raphael has been feeling a bit depressed and alone. But when he meets a dog in the same position as himself, both of them can't help but wonder if this meeting is a coincidence or if it is faith. Only time can tell...
1. Chapter 1

_This is the story about how my life suddenly changed. Not as quickly as a finger snap, but pretty fast if you consider how my life has been so far. Before we start on the actual story, I would like to give you a little in-tell on my early life: I was born in a normal family, and at that time, everyone thought that I was so cute and adorable. But as the time went by, I lost more of my youthful looks (yeah, I know, big surprise), until that day that my family moved and left me behind. I have lived on the streets since then. At first I was just confused: Why would the people that I loved just leave me behind like this? Turns out, that it was just what I needed. If it isn't destiny I don't know what it is. But this event changed the lives of me… and my master._

**Chapter 1**

Fondue's POV

One day, I was sniffing around in a back alley behind the Constabulary to see if I could find some food (you know, those constables and their croissants) I was so focused on sniffing out something good, that I didn´t notice the presence of an unfriendly guest. Suddenly a loud crash got my attention, as I quickly looked around to find the noise maker. A garbage can a few feet ahead of me was rocking a bit back and forth, a clear sign that it hadn´t been lying there a minute ago. I suddenly got that familiar feeling, an unpleasant felling that someone was watching me, and I didn´t like it at all. I could feel the fur on my back rise, as I stepped deeper into the alley to uncover what was disturbing me so much. A familiar smell reached my nose, and now there was no doubt about it. I prepared myself for the worst, as I quietly said:

"Hello again, Franco." Nothing happened. Then, a dark figure made his way into the dim light there was in the alley. It was a cat, but not just any cat. He had a slim, but muscular body, black fur with grey markings over the back and grey claws. He was missing a bit of his right ear and his yellow eyes were staring right at me. He smirked. That was never a good sign.

"Why, bonjour, Mutt. Having a good day?"

"Yeah, until you came around." Franco shook his head at my comment and slowly started to approach me. The smile became wider.

"Tsch, tsch, tsch, you should really learn some manners. Is that why your family kicked you out?" That got my attention, the whole of it. As I eyed him, I could feel the anger raise inside me, alike the fur on my back.

"Don´t mention that again, EVER! They kicked me out, left me for no obvious reason. I don´t even know if it was my fault or not. They didn't even give a reason, they just….let me off…" I could feel a burning pain in my chest by now. I always had that feeling when I started thinking back. Not far back, just back…back to when I felt loved. Oh, why did it have to hurt so much, this anger, this confusion and this solitude? What did I do wrong, since they just left me? "…Was I not good enough?" I realized that I had said that last part out loud, and as far as I could see, Franco's smile had gotten even wider. Oh crud, here we go again.

"Oh, how sweet, or should I say pathetic! No wonder nobody wants you, you freak! Who would ever love a dog that is as ugly, stupid and weak as you? You have nothing, not even a name! How could you even live with yourself, you lousy, little piece of sh..."

Franco's speech was cut off, as I lounged against him. Despite the surprise attack, he quickly jumped out of the way, which meant that I collided with the garbage bin. I got up pretty fast, but it wasn't fast enough. I felt a stinging pain soar through my body, as Franco's claws pierced my back leg. I shook him off, and lounged at him yet again. This time he wasn't quick enough, and both of us crashed into some garbage bins, which stood near the entrance of the alley. Still dizzy after the impact, I tried to gain focus, as I spun around to find Franco. Unfortunately, he found me first. His claws pierced my skin again, this time at the side of my neck. I couldn't see if it was bleeding, but I knew it wasn't deep. Either way, the red neck cloth around my neck would take the worst blood. Franco looked seriously pissed by now, and I knew I couldn't hold it up much longer. My best option was to make a run for it and finish this fight another day. I didn't have to think twice before making my mind: I turned around and made it for the street. Apparently, Franco wasn't finished with me and decided to follow. As he was gaining, I looked around to see if I could find a way out. I eyed a young boy with glasses. That was my last and only hope. I changed direction and ran towards the human.

**Raphael's POV**

*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*

"Ah, finally school's over." I started gathering my school supplies, as the school day was over and a well-deserved weekend was coming up. It really had been a tough week, considering the huge amount of homework that now was done. I heard my classmates talking about what they were going to do in the weekend, and it mostly considered of fun family activities. Bits of the different conversations reached my ears.

"My parents and I are going to visit my grandmother in Montmatre. It's gonna be so much fun!"

"I'm going fishing with my father."

It all sounded like they were going to have a lot of fun with their families. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly have any sort of that possibility. Oh, how I missed them sometimes…

"What about you, Raphael? Raphael? Hellooo?" I suddenly noticed that someone was talking to me. I turned my head to see Michel and Emilé looking at me with a smirk on their faces. Michel was the first to speak. "Raphael, if you keep doing that, people will just think something's wrong with you." I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Apparently my confusion was pretty obvious, because Michel continued. "You totally spaced out, man. It looked pretty creepy."

"Oh, it's just…nothing. I'm fine." That seemed to do the trick, 'cause Michel and Emilé just shrugged and the three of us walked outside. As we entered the streets, I just managed to wish them a good weekend and then we separated. I pulled my backpack further up my shoulder and started to walk towards my apartment.

It was truly a really beautiful day. The sun was shining, the bluebirds were singing and not a wind was moving. Despite the lovely weather, a sudden chilly feeling had caught up on me. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but I somehow felt a bit empty. Maybe it had been the talking of family in the class room that had made me so depressed. You see, I don't have a family, at least not a family that is around. My mother died in a car accident when I was a little kid, so I don't remember her very well. Then it was just me and my father for many years, until one day, he just left me without saying to where or why. I was 15 at that point. All he left me was this weird coin, which I now carry with me everywhere I go. It has this kind of weird symbol on it, like a pyramid turned upside-down and something that looks like wings of some sort. It's pretty hard to explain, but I still keep it with me at any time. Just hoping that it someday will give me a clue to where my father is.

It's been about a year since father left me. I have lived on my own since then. I still had to eat, so I got myself a job at Simon's shop down the street. He is really nice and he is very satisfied with the work I am doing. But I really go down sometimes, when I am thinking about my father.

I was so lost in my thought, that I hadn't noticed where I was going, which meant that I hadn't turned down the main street and now found myself behind the Constabulary. I had to laugh at my own consciousness.

"Huh, look what happens when I have my head in the skies." I was about to turn around to head back to the main street, when I heard a loud rambling about 20 meters in front of me. I took a few steps down the street, while I adjusted my glasses. It appeared the noise was coming from a back alley. I suddenly heard a loud screech, but I quickly recognized as a cat. Short after I also heard a whine, but I couldn't figure out what could have made that sound.

Suddenly, a white creature was running towards me at high speed. It was a dog, a dog with a…neck cloth? That looked pretty weird, considering that most dogs had a normal collar. I suddenly noticed a big, black cat in hot pursue of the dog. And boy, was that cat mad. The dog had run up behind my legs and looked up at me with a pathetic look in his eyes. Someway I felt sorry for the little guy, so I decided to help him. I stepped forward towards the pursuer, and the cat stopped. The feline hissed at me while its claws were scraping against the pavement, so I aimed a half-hearted kick towards it. I didn't intend to hit it, only scare it, and lucky for me, it worked. The cat stepped back a few feet, hissed again and took off. It went back into the back alley where it and the dog had come from. Oh, yeah, I forgot about the dog. I kneeled down in front of the dog, which immediately started to lick my hand.

"You know, dogs are supposed to chase cats." The dog looked at me, tail between its legs. "Maybe you're part chicken." The dog whined, it sounded really heart-aching. I took a closer look at the dog. He had a few scratches (probably from that cat) but except that he seemed to be in good shape. As my finger crossed the neck, I noticed something.

"Hmm, I don't see any collar." A thought hit me. "Did somebody abandon you, boy?"

"…Woeuf." Apparantly, he had been through a bit.

"I can't just leave you like this… You wanna come home with me?" The answer came pretty quick.

"Woeuf!" I was starting to like this dog, he had a unique kind of energy, and he was somehow a bit like me, also abandoned for no obvious reason. I decided to tell him something, even if he didn't understand me.

"Tell ya the truth, I was abandoned, too." I picked up my backpack and gesticulated to the dog to follow me. "Well, I hope you're not too hungry, 'cause I don't have a whole lot of food to give you." The dog whined again. I couldn't help but sweat-drop a little.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" Another though hit me. "Pathetic or not, you're gonna need a name." I stopped for a moment to think of some names. The dog just looked at me curiously.

"How about Sam? Too boring?" The dog just tilted his head a bit to the right.

"Okay, what about Max?" He then tilted his head to the left.

"Hmm, something with attitude…I know! Ulysses!" Either school really had been tearing on me mentally, or I could have sworn that dog had dead-panned at me at my last suggestion.

**Fondue's POV**

It was unbelievable. I had just run out of a back alley with a pissed-off cat hot in my trails, I run up to the first human I see, and he actually protects me. At first I didn't even bother to think of him. He would probably like all the other humans, despising me and turning me down, on after the other. But to be sure, I still pulled out the old "Look-sad-and-really-pathetic-to-win-their-hearts- Trick." It worked like a charm. When he had chased Franco away, I just wanted to get going. Still, I felt like I had to thank him somehow. So when he kneeled down to check on me, I licked his hand as a token of my gratitude. I noticed his hands came closer, probably to punch me or hurt me in one way or another. But as I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, I just felt a slight brushing against my fur. I opened my eyes. The human was still there, but examining my body for wounds and scratches instead of harming me. I was even more surprised, when he started talking to me. He asked me questions like I was an equal, not just a random animal. He asked me if I was abandoned, he told me about himself (turned out that he was abandoned, too.) Maybe it was because of that piece of information, or maybe it was something else, but I felt like that we were… connected somehow. Maybe this was the chance in life that I needed. To stay with someone who actually liked me and treated me nicely.

As he took his backpack, I made up my mind. I decided to follow him home; at least I would now have a nice, warm place to stay for the night. There was just one thing that got my attention. The boy turned his head towards me and said:

"Well, I hope you're not too hungry, 'cause I don't have a whole lot of food to give you." Aww, man! That had been the part I was mostly looking forward to. I whined a little at this statement. The boy just gave me an unimpressed as he mentioned that I was pathetic. He then started talking again.

"Pathetic or not, you're gonna need a name." I looked curiously up at the boy. I was kind of exited: I haven't had a real name for a long time. I got rid of my old name myself, when the family who named me kicked me out. Seeing that this human was young, I couldn't imagine the creative names that he could come up with.

"How about Sam? Too boring?" Okay, maybe I was a little too quick on that one. I gave him another chance. I tilted my head a bit to show him my doubts about that specific name.

"Okay, what about Max?" That wasn't a better suggestion. I tilted my head the other way, hoping that he would catch my drift. Apparently, he did.

"Hmm, something with attitude…I know! Ulysses!" Okay, that's it. I dead-panned right at the spot, wondering how the heck he could come up with that!? As I followed the boy home, I couldn't help but wonder if this was such a good idea after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Last time on TpmM:

"_Hmm, I don't see any collar." A thought hit me. "Did somebody abandon you, boy?"_

"…_Woeuf." Apparantly, he had been through a bit._

"_I can't just leave you like this… You wanna come home with me?" The answer came pretty quick._

"_Woeuf!" I was starting to like this dog, he had a unique kind of energy, and he was somehow a bit like me, also abandoned for no obvious reason. I decided to tell him something, even if he didn't understand me._

"_Tell ya the truth, I was abandoned, too." I picked up my backpack and gesticulated to the dog to follow me. "Well, I hope you're not too hungry, 'cause I don't have a whole lot of food to give you." The dog whined again. I couldn't help but sweat-drop a little._

"_You're pathetic, you know that?"_

**Raphael's POV**

The dog and I walked out from behind the Constabulary and continued towards my apartment up the street. I looked down at the dog, his tail wagging almost a mile in minute. I couldn't help but smile at the poor thing. He seemed like a really nice dog, so a new home shouldn't be completely impossible. We walked for about fifteen minutes, and then the contours of the apartments rose in the sky. As we were about to enter the building, I saw Madame Paula with a basket of clean laundry in her arms. She smiled at me and waved me over. Seeing that there was no way out, I walked towards her with the eager dog by my side.

"Bonjour, Raphael, had a good day at school?" Even though she looked at me, I could tell that she had noticed the dog.

"Bonjour, Madame Paula. Yeah, it was a pretty good day, a bit long though. It is nice to finally have a weekend." She nodded at me while she bent down to put the basket down and to get a better look at the dog at the same time.

"Who is your little friend here, Raphie?"

"That's just a dog I found. He was being chased by a cat, and then he just ran up to me. He seems a bit cowardy, if you ask me." Madame Paula straightened herself again, and looked at me with a serious look.

"I hope you're not thinking about taking him in, you know the apartments don't allow pets."

"Oh no, it is only for a couple of days until I find him a new owner. Please, Madame Paula, just this once." She looked at bit thoughtful. Then she looked between me and the dog a couple of times before she finally answered:

"Oh, fine, but only for a couple of days. But then he has to go."

"Thank you, Madame Paula. I promise, we won't be any trouble." She smiled and ruffled my hair a bit.

"Of course, I know that you won't. You've always been such a good kid." She picked up her laundry basket again and walked towards her own apartment. "See you later, Raphie."

"See ya!" When she had closed the door behind her, I took a quick glance down at the dog. He looked a bit confused and also a bit…sad? I kneeled down beside him and stroke him over his back.

"Don't worry, I'll find you a new home, even if it is the last thing I'll do."

"Woeuf, woeuf!"

"Come on, let's get you inside. I think you need something to eat…" I suddenly noticed that my hand was a bit dirty after petting the dog. "And a bath."

-time jump-

**Fondue's POV**

It had only been about two days ago, but it still seemed like a really long time since I was found by that boy with the glasses. He had treated me very nicely, giving me both food and a bath (yeah, I hadn't been taken good care of myself when I lived on the streets). But thanks to the boy's care (Raphael, I think his name is) I slowly gained a little more weight. This kid seemed happy to have found a temporary place for me to stay, and he spent almost all of his spare time to try to find me a good, new home. Of course, I was really grateful for all what he did for me, but I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He was being so friendly, opening his home for a street dog like me, while I was just lying around in his apartment, doing absolutely nothing to repay him. Then again, what could I do? I was just a simple dog, not even capable of protecting myself, nor those that I cared for. Clearly, this boy could do absolutely fine without me, but he still enjoyed my company.

Also, these secrets and events of our past that we shared, that must mean something. Maybe this could be the start of a wonderful new life, both for me and for him. It was a little weird though, I must admit that. It just seems too weird, that the two of us should find each other. If it is a coincidence or fate, none of us can tell, but no doubt, we are enjoying that we aren't all alone in this world.

**Raphael's POV**

Two days had already passed, and the dog really seemed to get a lot better. I still hadn't found a really good name for him yet. Since we couldn't agree on anything, I decided to call him "dog." Yeah, I know, it is a lousy name, but it was the only name that both of us were somehow satisfied with. I still kept my decision about finding him a new home, but I was almost out of ideas. I had printed papers with pictures of Dog and my phone number and hung them in public places like the nearby cafés, Place de la Concorde, the entry of the Louvre etc. I even made an advert in the local newspaper, hoping that people would be willing to take a look at Dog. When I had taped the last paper up on a lamp post near the Eiffel Tower, I was certain that somebody would contact me.

A few days went by…

But nothing happened. Nobody came to pick him up or even have a look at him. Every day I returned from school, hoping that there would be a letter or even a note from an interested. But the apartment stayed empty for those kinds of things. It was really heart-aching to come home every day to see the dog looking excitedly at me, then I just shook my head and the dog lowered his head and tail, too.

It wasn't any better when I one day returned to see a note posted on my door. Getting pretty excited, I quickly ripped the note from the door, only to discover Madame Paula's delicate handwriting.

_Dear Raphael_

_I would like to remind you that the dog you took in have to be out by tomorrow. It's already been a week and as far as I can see, you haven't found him a new home. I'm sorry for being the one to tell you this, Raphael, but you have to let him go._

_Madame Paula_

I could literally feel my heart sink, the fluttering felling in my chest now completely gone.

"Let him go?" I couldn't get rid of him, I still haven't found him a home. I just couldn't understand why there weren't any takers. I had done so much to help the dog, so why wouldn't anybody…

A scraping noise reached my ears, and I turned around just in time to see the dog come out from my apartment. He yawned, stretched his back and looked at me with a curious look on his face. Actually, know that I took a closer look at him, it was actually pretty easy to see why there weren't any takers: He wasn't a puppy, and he wasn't a purebred. He didn't know any tricks, and he wasn't even particularly cute. It's hard to find someone who just wants a plain old dog. With those thoughts floating in the back of my mind, I kneeled down and scratched him behind the ears. He closed his eyes and leaned in towards me. He enjoyed it. I didn't say anything, I just sat there. No words, no thoughts. When I stopped with the scratching, he looked at me for a couple of seconds, then turned around and walked inside the apartment again. I still sat on the floor, looking at the door where the dog has disappeared. I don't know where it came from, but deep inside me, a sentence pushed its way up my throat and out between my dry lips.

"I have to get rid of him…tonight"

**Fondue's POV**

It was dusk. The sun was almost gone, only letting a few rays shine down on the streets of Paris. The light posts began one after one to turn on and spread their golden lights over the nearly darkened city. It just seemed like the end of a normal day, just like it had been the last few days. With still no new people to take me in, I was just about to go on the daily evening walk with the boy. Being exited, as I always was at this point, I had gone down about five minutes before him and sat on the stone stairs to wait for him. It would just be the usual stroll around the block and then back to the apartment and to bed. Therefore my surprise was even bigger when I heard footsteps behind me, knowing that it would be the boy. But somehow, it didn't sound like him at all. Instead of the smooth, slow steps of his sneakers, I now could hear faster, more… rhythmical steps. No more capable to conceal my curiosity, I turned towards the boy. He was dressed in a different way than he usually was. He was wearing a midnight-blue outfit, with a white shirt and red tie underneath. Instead of his usual sneakers, he was now wearing brown shoes, and his glasses were gone and replaced by a blue hat with a red band, tilted in a fashion so it concealed most of his eyes. He seemed awfully silent, which I didn't like at all. He gesticulated for me to follow him, just like the day that we first met. I had followed him all the way up to the first corner of the main street, when he turned around and looked down on me, a serious look in his eyes.

"You have to go now. You can't stay here with me anymore." I tilted my head a bit at this. What did he exactly mean by that? Was he going to kick me out, too? The boy fixed his clothes while he continued to talk.

"I got a big job to do. Only I don't know if I can pull it off." He knelled down to check if his shoes were probably tied and that's when I took the chance. I stepped towards and laid my head in his lab. I whined a bit to tell him, that I really, really wasn't okay with this. I felt devastated, knowing that I would have to return to my old life as a filthy street mutt. The boy seemed a bit surprised, but he quickly just ruffled my head for the last time. He stood up, seriousness again burning in his eyes.

"And if I don't, I won't be coming back. And I can't take care of you if I'm not here." I whined even louder at this statement. I didn't want to be left alone again, being a simple, ugly soul in a world where nobody cared about you. I looked upon him once more, pleading for him to not leave me behind. He just crossed his arms at looked at me. But I already knew that the decision was made.

"Go on, shoo. Find a new master." He then turned around and walked down the street, then turned right at the first corner, and then he was gone…forever. I could feel how my body was drained of hope and happiness as I still looked at the corner where the boy has disappeared. Those dreams and hopes that I had were not shattered, broken to pieces at his last words. I don't know how long I sat there, it could have been hours even if it was only a few minutes. I finally got up, I had to find a new place to stay now. While I was walking towards the centrum of Paris, only one thing, or that is, one question, came through my mind:

"Why…?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Phantom R's POV**

Guilt. It defiantly was one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced, and today was no exception. I felt like rubbish, just leaving that poor dog like that. Still, I had to do it. This mission was indeed dangerous, and if I couldn't pull it off…Trust me, he was better without me. Besides, he could probably take care of himself. I mean, I had been okay so far all by myself, but...still, it had been nice with a friend, even if it was only for a week. My train of thoughts stopped, as I saw the building that was my goal: The Louvre. The glass pyramids at the entry was bathed in a golden light, which was even brighter now, that the sun was almost gone. There were a few people at the big, open place in front of the museum, but they wouldn't be any trouble for what I had planned. I fixed my hat and quickly ran to the back of the museum, where I searched high and low until I found what I was looking for. The secret entrance to the museum. Yes, don't think that I came unprepared. For the last couple of weeks I had studied everything worth knowing of the world-famous museum and all its secrets. Turned out, that no-body actually knew about this entry, except those who build the Louvre, obviously. I fiddled a bit more with the lock and…*click* Bingo! I looked around an extra time before entering, my mind filled with only one thought: getting this job done as quickly and quiet as possible.

"I'm fixing your mistake, Father."

**Fondue's POV**

I had been walking for quite a while now, with no idea of where I was heading. To be honest, I didn't really care anymore, the feeling of loss and despair too big for me to handle anything else but these two feelings. I continued my walk towards the centrum of Paris, while random questions popped into my head from time to time.

"_Did I do anything? Was it me? Am I just…not meant to be with anyone?"_

As I continued my walk down the street, I suddenly heard a loud howling behind my back. I turned my head just in time to see 3 police cars race down the street. Those people, who were still out in the streets, had stopped for a few seconds to follow the high speed patrols. I could understand them: There wasn't a lot of action happening in Paris, so when the police was out with the sirens on, something big was happening. As soon as the cars turned around the corner, people shrugged and continued with their usual business. I, on the other hand, didn't have anywhere to be right now, not since that boy had left me about 30 minutes ago. I might as well take a look at all this fuss, just to make the time pass. I ran in the direction the cars had disappeared, and I soon discovered, that the police cars had pulled up in front of the museum, the Louvre I think it is named. I walked a little closer, only to discover that the place was crowded with constables. Some of them were busy with putting barricades up around the museum to keep the curious Parisians away, but most of them were trotting around the museum and walking in and out of the entrance. It looked like a robbery had been taken place, but what do I know? Well, it didn't seem anything else was happening, so I started to walk away. Just as I was reaching the barricades, a bit of conversation reached my ears.

"…so, Eric, you go to the group at the left corner, and then if we separate the B-team into two, we will have the surrounding grounds covered. And then there's no way out for him."

I looked around to find the source of the conversation, and found some of the constables (one of them was obviously the chief) standing in front of a fountain, talking and apparently trying to cover the museum from every angle. And judging by the smug look on their faces, it seemed they had achieved just that. Suddenly, another, quite large constable ran up to the two men talking and spoke very quickly.

"Inspector Vergier, we got the building and the grounds completely surrounded by now, there is no place that isn't covered." The inspector, which you would think would be very strict with his ways of dressing, really stood out from the rest of the constables. He was a little above average high, with tan skin, dreadlocks (I know, it sounds weird for a Parisian) and a pair of glasses on the tip of his nose. He was dressed in a white shirt, a red tie that was tied loosely around his neck and simple, black trousers. Considering his strange appearances, he had a very serious look in his eyes. Vergier looked up from the maps and gave a single, quick nod.

"Oui, let's catch this culprit, while we have the upper-hand. Allez!" The constables saluted the inspector before darting to their stations. I followed them a bit with the eyes, wondering if I should stick around or just get moving again. Besides, what did I have to lose? I ran after some of the constables while I still kept in the background. I placed myself at a corner, where I was somewhat hidden but still had a good view of the entire scenery. The constables were at their positions, either walking patrols or standing guard at the most vulnerable entries of the museum. 5 minutes went by, then 10, 15…

When 20 minutes nearly had passed, I started to feel a little bored. I yawned, just as I heard a yell.

"STOP, in the name of the law!" It was one of the constables, a young, slim man, which had talked to Vergier about half an hour ago (Eric, or something like that.) He really had called everyone's attention to himself. He skidded to a full stop, while he yelled so the whole area could hear it.

"Inspector, he came out from the left wing, but he stumbled as he landed. He was limping away, but he is still in the area." The inspector was quick to react.

"Then what are you all waiting for, after him!" The constables from the entrance and the grounds to the left quickly ran in the direction that Eric had pointed out. As the setting was now changing, I followed them to another part of the museum grounds. I heard the constables yell as they searched the bushes, alleys and even the trees for any clues about the trespasser.

"Nothing over here!"

"I haven't anything here, either!"

The chubby constable from before pulled his head out from a nearby bush and removed a couple of leaves from his moustache before he spoke.

"Keep looking! He has to be around here somewhere." The other constable, Eric, turned towards him and smirked, when he saw all the leaves in his colleague's face.

"Remember, he fell and hurt his leg. He can't have gotten far." The constables kept looking for a couple of minutes, then…

"HERE! HE'S OVER HERE, REQUESTING FOR ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATELY!" The constables turned around and continued down the back of the museum, their shoes clicking against the damp pavement. They turned left at a little alley, where the back-entry for the security guards was located. I didn't want to miss anything, so I sprinted towards the alley, where the last constable had vanished. I screeched around the corner and was met by a terrible sight. It was the boy, the same boy who left me just a little while ago. At first, I was glad to see him and I silently wondered what he was doing here. That was, until I took a closer look at him. His clothes were ruffled, and his trousers were torn at the bottom part. You could see that his right leg was bleeding pretty badly, and by the faces he was making, it probably was hurting like hell. He was sweating, and it was easy to tell, that he was really exhausted, and just to top it off, there were like 20 constables, forcing him further and further into the alley until he hit the wall. He tried to stand up, but his leg couldn't carry him at the moment. He kneeled down, his left hand trying to cover up the wound, while he used his right hand to hold his hat in place. Realization seemed to strike both him and me, when his eyes darted around to find a way out, but it was no use. He was caught. But…then again, I couldn't let him stay here, completely helpless and soon in the hands of the constables. Besides, he had helped me, and now it was my turn to help him out. I growled a bit, as I made my move.

"I'm coming for you…"

**Phantom R's POV**

Here I was, trapped at a dead end, completely exhausted, with an injured leg and about 20 of the city's finest slowly surrounding and gaining on me. This seemed to be the end. I had failed. I looked at the bloodstained ground, a single tear burning in my eye.

"I'm sorry, Father…" I closed my eyes, waiting for the constables to grab me by my neck and escort me down to the station. A sudden noise got my attention, it wasn't very loud but it almost sounded like…a bark? I opened my eyes a bit, most of my view still covered by my hat. All I saw was 4 white paws, jumping and turning between the legs of the constables, but the creature was heading in the same direction: Towards me. The creature landed in front of me, and I instantly recognized the brown spot around his right eye. The dog! I was so shocked, that I just burst out:

"Hey… it's my top cheese!" I must have looked pretty shocked, because the dog looked at me with a bit of curiosity and…determination, I think, burning in his eyes. I quickly regained focus, as the constables broke out into a lot of question, mainly asking each other.

"Where did that thing come from?"

"Is it a stray or something?" One of them finally pulled himself together and spoke up.

"It doesn't matter, just get it away from that pathetic excuse for a thief!" The constables slowly started to move again, their synchronized movements blocking every possible escape route there could have been. The dog flashed his teeth and growled at the constables, which was only a few feet away and was closing in pretty fast. But, to be honest, I never guessed what was going to happen next. The dog launched himself against the constables, biting those who came close enough. The constables were trying to fight against him, but they soon realized that the battle was lost. No matter how many they were, this dog who had come to my rescue, was keeping them away, trying to protect me. I couldn't do much but watch as one constable after the other was running away from the alley, yelling and with parts of their trousers ripped. Just as I thought that all of them were gone, I suddenly felt two, cold hands on my shoulders, and I quickly turned my head around. It was one of the constables, a quite large one actually, who had sneaked along the walls while my attention was turned towards the dog and his battles, and because of my lack in attention, this guy had now gotten a good hold of me. He pulled me on my feet, and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't help but feeling my arms getting pulled behind my back, all while his grip was tightening. My leg was really hurting from the sudden movement, and I cried out in pain.

"Ha, struggle all you want, thief. I'm not gonna let you go no ma…AAAAAAAARRGH!" He didn't manage to finish his sentence, because the dog had heard my cry and had suddenly buried his teeth in the soft flesh of the constables' buttocks. He released his grip on me and ran like if the Devil himself was after him. I just managed to look up at the very moment to discover a big hole in the man's trousers, revealing a pair of very colorful boxers. I couldn't help but laugh afterwards when I saw the dog sitting in front of me, a satisfied look in his face and the piece from the constable's trousers in his mouth.

**A/N: so yeah, at first I thought that this story was only going to be in three chapters, but I think I have to extent to four due to too much inspiration XD**

**As always, read and review please **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Inspector Vergier's POV**

I had stayed at the fountain in front of the Louvre, waiting for my men to come back with the thief. Something was still nagging me about this whole case. What sort of "normal" thief would alert the local police force before committing a crime? This was a unique sort of crime, so of course it got my attention from the very beginning. Besides, it seemed like this person didn't know what he was doing, so it probably wouldn't take too long to get our hands on him. I could suddenly hear footsteps coming towards me, and at a very quick pace to be precise. I turned my head towards the corner where my team had vanished and was taken a bit back when I saw them reappear, completely exhausted and the lower parts of their uniforms torn. The younger one, Eric, walked towards me and I took some steps towards them, too.

"Eric, what is going on? Did you get him?" The man looked at me, completely speechless because he, apparently, had run too fast, but then he inhaled and started to tell in one big mess.

"Inspectorwehadhimcorneredandwasabouttotakehimback toyoubutthentherewasabarkand somebloodandadogandthedogprotectedhimandthenwewasb iddenandourtrouserswasruined…

"Eric, stop, STOP!" The man shut it, looking at me with a confused look in his face. I mentally sweat-dropped in the back of my mind before I continued: "Take it again, and a little slower, _sil vou plaí._ Eric thought about it for a second and then slowed himself down.

"We had him cornered and were about to take him back to you, but then we was interrupted by a dog. When we tried to chase him away, he attacked us and made us flee. It seemed like he was protecting the thief, like if he knew him already. Most of us weren't seriously hurt, but you can't say the same about our trousers. I mean, have you even seen Loic's , it hilario…"

"What did you just say?!" Eric looked at me, a tear of amusement still resting in the corner of his eye.

"I asked, if you had seen Loic's…"

"NOT LOIC'S TROUSERS, BEFORE THAT!" He looked a bit taken back, but then a mental light bulb lit up in his head.

"Oh, you mean the dog protecting the thief? Yeah, we found it pretty weird, too…"

"Is he still at the back entrance?" Eric looked a bit thoughtful before answering.

"Yeah, I think, his leg was pretty bad-looking, so I guess…"

"Everybody, stay here. I'm going after him," I said while I pulled my gun from its holster. I left my coat at the fountain; it would just get in my way. The other constables looked at me, while I ran towards the back of the Louvre, pistol locked and loaded. I turned around the corner and continued with light, cautious steps. When I had walked a bit further in the shadows of the building, I suddenly heard voices from the alley. So, the thief hadn't moved at all. That was a mistake he wouldn't forget so easily. I peeked around the corner, gun ready in my right hand. I could see the boy was still struggling to get up, but it seemed like he wasn't in too much pain right now. Finally, with a bit support from the wall, he managed to get up. That dog that Eric had mentioned was there too, and it really seemed like they knew each other. I took a deep breath before I stepped out of the shadow, gun raised at chest level.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, THIEF!" Before any of us got a chance to react, the dog launched towards me and hit me in the abdomen. I lost my balance and fell backwards, while I felt the gun slipping out of my grip. I landed on the pavement, my gun landing a few inches from my fingertips. The dog stood upon my chest, teeth showing and a quiet growling coming from his throat. A bit shocked from the attack, I tried to move my hand towards the gun, but my path was blocked when a brown dress shoe came into my view. The owner of the said shoe kicked the gun a little further away, now completely out of my reach. I looked at the thief, his hat concealing most of his eyes. The dog still stood tall on my chest and I couldn't do anything in the moment. I might as well ask what he had planned.

"So what do you plan to do now? Kill me?" I took a deep breath before I continued. "That wouldn't surprise me at all, kid." Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I could see that I had caught his attention. "All you criminals are the same, so go on ahead. There is no difference at all."

"I'm not that kind of person, Inspector, and I never will be." He whistled once, and the dog quickly was at his leg. I raised myself on the elbows, glaring at the thief and what now appeared to be his new partner in crime. "I have a job to do, and you can't do anything to make me turn around. I just have to do this." What was wrong with that kid? I raised an eyebrow when he suddenly smirked at me.

"Still, you are welcome to try…" He started to walk away, until he suddenly stopped. "Oh, and by the way," he said while fixing his fedora. "The name is R…Phantom R. And don't worry about me, I won't be out of your face for a long time. Let's cheese it, buddy!"

"Woeuf!"

When I finally managed to get myself off the ground, the two misbehavers were already gone. But one thing was defiantly certain, I thought while I picked up my gun and went back the way I had come from.

"This isn't over… Phantom R."

**Phantom R's POV**

I snuck behind the constables and soon found myself a couple of streets away from the Louvre. My leg wasn't hurting as bad as before, and even thought the bleeding had nearly stopped, it still looked a bit wrecked. I probably should get back to my apartment and get the wound cleaned before it became any worse. While my head was still running at full speed I suddenly heard a dignified bark behind me.

"Woeuf! Woeuf!" Oh, I completely forgot about the dog for a while, since my head was still spinning from the adrenaline and shocks which had occurred to me the last couple of hours. I still felt really lousy, just leaving him like that and yet, he still came to help me when I was in trouble. I defiantly owed him, but what could I do to make him happy? I turned towards him. He was sitting there, with a dignified look on his face, as if he just knew how much trouble I would have been in, if he hadn't come to my rescue. As I kneeled down to thank him, he leaned towards me and allowed me to scratch him behind the ears.

"You… You saved me."

"Woeuf!" The following part was really hard for me to say. Since Father left me, I had been having a little trouble with trusting some people, so thanking wasn't exactly what I had done most of my time when I had been living on my own. Still, this was a really special occasion; I mean he saved my life! It can't get any more special than that. At least I had to try. I took a deep breath before I spoke.

"I don't know what to say, but… Thanks." The dog looked a little disappointed at my lame excuse. As I said, I wasn't very used to excuse to people, or dogs in this case. I smiled a little as I fixed one of my bangs, placing it behind my ear again. I turned my attention towards him again. "Maybe you're not so chicken after all. At least, not when it really counts."

"Woeuf." Okay, it seemed he was quite satisfied with that "apology", and I could almost feel the bad conscience lifting from my chest. But I still felt like something was nagging me. Maybe it was apology or something like that, but what could I else say to bring it home? Home…. A little light bulb said *DING* in my head. Of course, it was so simple! Seriously, Phantom R, why hadn't you thought of that in the first place? While I mentally cursed at myself for my forgetfulness, I lifted myself up from my knees.

"There is one problem, though. My apartment doesn't allow pets."

"Hrrrn."

"… So I guess I'll just have to make you my partner!"

"Woeuf!" The dog launched himself towards me with such a speed, that I almost fell back over again. I managed to keep my balance, but I couldn't help but laugh at his obvious happiness at my statement. I stroke him a couple of times before I gestured for him to follow me. "C'mon, let's go home. I don't know about you, but I'm starvin'." I fixed my hat before continuing. "I could sure go for some nice, hot cheese fondue right about now."

"Woeuf! Woeuf! Woeuf!" The dog ran up in front of me, jumping and barking in a very energetic manner. I had no idea what I had done; nothing in my most recent sentence could have made him that happy. Unless…

"Hn? Fon… due?"

"Woeuf! Woeuf! Woeuf! Woeuf! Woeufff!" That had seemed to do the trick, since the dog now was running in circles, jumping up and down in front of me. At first I was just baffled, but then I felt a smile creep upon my face. It is weird, that some creations in this world can be happy by such a tiny gesture as a name. He finally seemed to have calmed down, 'cause now he was just looking at me, excitement gleaming in his black eyes. I couldn't help but sweat-drop a little; it just looked too damn adorable.

"All right, all right. It's a perfect name for a dog who likes to eat as much as you do." We continued down the street, both of us walking with a lot more energy and feathery lightness in our steps. I looked down at my new best friend and future partner in crime. "From now on, you're gonna be… Fondue!"

"Woeuf!"

This was the start of a beautiful friendship…

**Fondue's POV**

We arrived at his apartment in a matter of minutes after the incident with the inspector. I could tell by my new friend's rather stiff movements that his leg was pretty beat up. But he still managed to get up the stairs at the entrance of the apartments. He fumbled in his pockets for a few seconds before he pulled out a key. He swiftly unlocked the door and we stepped into his apartment. I casually placed myself on the floor, while the kid was walking back and forth in the apartment, bringing out different sorts of articles: soap, a bottle of disinfection, hot water, towels etc. He placed the items on his bed sheet before he lowered himself onto the soft blanket. He carefully started to roll up his right trouser leg, grimacing a bit at the new stings of pain. He dipped the corner of the towel into the hot water and carefully started to remove the dried blood. He wasn't very accurate, since his hands were still shaking from the adrenaline. He defiantly needed a bit of help with this task. I carefully jumped on the bed and placed myself on his left side. He turned his head towards me, a bit surprised by my action. I looked him in the eyes for a few seconds before I laid my head in his lap, careful not to touch his right leg. He smiled, as he seemed to relax and he continued to clean the wound, his hands now shaking a lot less now. I don't know how long we sat there, just taking it easy as Raphael continued to wash the wound. After all the blood was gone, he put the disinfection on another corner of the towel and dabbed the wound. He hissed as the liquid made contact with the exposed flesh. The pain quickly disappeared and left him with a nice, clean wound. Now that all the blood was gone, it was actually not too bad looking. He would probably be able to move normally again in a couple of days… I hoped.

_One week later_

**Raphael's POV**

It had been about a week since the incident at the Louvre and life was moving pretty normal again. Well, as normal as it can be, considering that I'm now living a double life as Raphael during the day and Phantom R during the night. And besides, I had my new partner Fondue. I was really grateful for his assistance during my nightly activities. I still don't know how I would have got out of trouble if it hadn't been for my four-legged friend. He followed me everywhere (well, except when I was at school), but I was always greeted with a friendly bark every time I opened the door to the apartment. The other people living in the same building had been a little unsatisfied with Fondue living with me, but after a while everyone in the building grew fond of him and let him stay (I had been sweating bullets while they made the decision) He was always happy and cheerful, and he always made me feel better when I was depressed.

At night, he was changing in his behaviour. He was being a bit more subtle, his guard also rising in the progress. I still moved as I used to, but I was a bit taken back when I discovered that he was starting to act like me. Not completely dancing like I did, but moving in my steps, keeping the rhythm as we progressed through the varying terrain. I couldn't help but feel a little proud when I looked at Fondue, when he was in action. It was easy to tell that he was enjoying our nightly activities as much as I did, and as time went by, both of us got even better at our movements. We were having a good time whenever we managed to get another work of art away from the museum, and we were laughing (and barking, in Fondue's case) while we were being chased by the constables. Sometimes, I am still having a hard time to understand it all.

To believe, that two lonely guys like us, both abandoned at some point, could end up finding each other and form a strong bond like we had known each other for many years. But to sum it all up, he really is the best friend a guy could wish for.

And the best partner there ever was.


End file.
